Isaac del Toro put on a show up in Stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia. This victory allowed him to further extend his margin of victory in the general classification. The Mexican cyclist started the day 38 seconds ahead of his teammate Juan Ayuso. He passed through each of these tests’ course challenges skillfully and blasted across the finish strong, headlining a day with fellow attack-artist Kasper Asgreen stealing the stage victory. Del Toro’s strategic racing allowed him to avoid a major crash that affected several competitors, including Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone.
As the stage unfolded, del Toro increased his overall lead to one minute and 20 seconds over Simon Yates, with Ayuso trailing a further six seconds behind. This strong showing has put del Toro in a good spot going into the final act of the competition.
A Day of Challenges
The day’s racing wasn’t without its terrifying incidents. Most of del Toro’s competition suffered a major blow with a crash that happened in the middle of the stage. With a much smaller chasing group behind him, del Toro kept his attention on playing it smooth and steady for the remainder of the race. He showed huge skill and huge tactical intelligence, deftly sidestepping all the danger.
It was a really difficult stage,” said Kasper Asgreen, emphasizing how challenging the stage was. Though the conditions were daunting, his tactic was rewarded as he emerged onto the red carpet first, claiming a hard-fought and well-deserved win.
“It’s annoying when you have to destroy yourself completely like this to win bike races but when it works out it’s all worth it.” – Kasper Asgreen
Strategic Racing
Del Toro’s gamble paid off in spades as he was second man over the line just behind Asgreen as he upped the ante. His continued pace with the race leaders let him increase his overall lead even more. Del Toro began the race 1 minute and 35 seconds in arrears of pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic. Now, after Roglic suffered a few misfortunes, del Toro has opened a gap of 2’23’’.
With every stage that goes by, that lead grows, but with it, del Toro’s pink jersey grip only tightens. It’s his strategic approach to racing, the highest level of which has delivered him a nearly insurmountable lead over his nearest rivals. Now, they face the bitter reality of having to close that gap.
Looking Ahead
With the Giro d’Italia now upon us, del Toro’s strong showing fills the UAE Team Emirates camp with optimism. What happens today might shape the fate of the national championship entirely, so stay tuned.
Rest assured, del Toro is always ready to go after the next golden ring. In the same vein, his closest opponents, such as Roglic, fall over two minutes behind and suffer the consequences of their own disasters. The next steps are most important for him. He’s looking to fend off that challenge and win wire-to-wire in this highly competitive and incredibly prestigious race.
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